[quote name='Frenchy' post='68718' date='Jan 18 2007, 14:07 ']Could somebody expand on the problems that FDNY is having with their Seagraves, I was under the impression that they are some of the best you can get and seeing as how they are favored in big cities like DC, why they aren't performing well in NYC?
Thanks,
Frenchy[/quote]
FDNY has fewer problems with their apparatus than we think. Any department with several HUNDRED of the same brand of apparatus (nearly every pumper, all ladders, and all but one tower ladder have been
Seagrave since 1992) are bound to experience even the rarest of problems with their apparatus. Of late, their have been various stories of conflict between the firefighters union and the city officials (of which I have no personal knowledge or details) that have led to some bad press. I have seen
3 year old pumpers at our shop (
Seagrave dealer) that have been used so hard that the rubber covering on the exterior grabhandles has worn completely smooth from usage. I can tell you that FDNY was frustrated for a bit with how slow
Seagrave was to physically deliver new units (nearly rectified since), and the FDNY warranty requirement (5 years, bumper bolts to tailboard) can become intense for one or two dealers to handle, as we have multiple other customers buying our product that we must service, too. Remember, too, that all of the vendor-supplied components (engine, trans, pump, axles, etc.) are not manufactured by
Seagrave, so some warranty claims have nothing at all to do with
Seagrave directly.
Lastly, although I can't divulge any pertient information until it is made official, the FDNY must not be that dissatisfied with
Seagrave, as the recent bid for 69 pumpers was written around the
Seagrave product. Plan on seeing more new FDNY
Seagrave apparatus in the near future.